The Evanston, Ill., club has received the 2018 Silver Ribbon Award from the Friends of the Chicago River for an ecological restoration effort that boosts improvements in the Chicago River system.

For many clubs and resorts, conservation is a priority, and an Evanston, Ill., golf course is now receiving accolades for its efforts, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Canal Shores Golf Course has received the 2018 Silver Ribbon Award from the Friends of the Chicago River for its ecological restoration efforts in enhancing the Chicago River system, the Tribune reported.

Chris Carey, president of the Evanston Wilmette Golf Course Association, and Steve Neumann, chair of the Grounds Committee, accepted the award at the Friends’ annual gala earlier this month.

Canal Shores is operated by the not-for-profit Evanston-Wilmette Golf Course Association and is situated on 82 acres along the North Shore Channel. The 18-hole layout features 3,612 yards with fairways that are narrow and tree-lined and feature two signature over-the-water holes.

According to the Tribune, Canal Shores’ conservation master plan offers an outline for its improvements to wetlands, wildlife habitats and plant and tree species along the river banks, and identifies areas for enhancement and potential restoration.

The plan has been crafted over the course of three years, driven by a subcommittee of the Association, and was funded with a Coastal Management Planning Grant administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and funded through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Management.

“Canal Shores has taken a big step forward with the completion of a plan which will ensure a sustainable environment, foster habitat restoration and inform future land use and golf planning,” Carey told the Tribune. “I thank the Friends for their confidence in us and recognize the dedicated neighbors and volunteers who worked diligently with guidance from the environmental consulting firm Planning Resources Inc. to develop a plan to protect and nurture the course into the next century. This award truly demonstrates the value of the community coming together for a good cause.”

As a result of its effort to redevelop and improve the golf experience, Canal Shores will implement elements of the ecological plan to incorporate multi-use recreational opportunities and facilities with a focus on ecological and habitat renovation and restoration, the Tribune reported.

Margaret Frisbie, Executive Director of Friends of the Chicago River, noted that “There is terrific opportunity to develop the river for people while continuing to invest in its ecological health. The award winners demonstrate how.”

According to the Tribune, the Chicago River Blue Ribbon awards honor the efforts of developers, architects, municipalities, planners and others for their creative and river-sensitive approaches to projects within the Chicago River watershed.